Since 1956, Sweden and the Armed Forces have had 50 years of unbroken tradition of military operations in the form of peace operations worldwide, among other things in Cyprus, the Middle East, Bosnia, Kosovo, Liberia and Afghanistan. Many smaller operations have also been carried out, for example through individual officers who have served as military observers on behalf of the UN. Over the years, the Armed Forces has participated in a total of 120 international operations in 60 countries. In total, over 100,000 Swedes have served in the international force.
The largest operation carried out - in terms of the number of troops - was in Cyprus (UNFICYP), in which about 28,000 Swedes served between 1964 and 1993. Other major operations took place UNEF in Gaza and the Sinai 1956-1967 with 12,000 soldiers, UNIFIL in Lebanon, 1980-1994 (9,200), UNEF II in the Sinai from 1973 to 1980 (7,600) and ONUC in the Congo from 1960 to 1964 (6,300). Between 1993 and 1999, 10,200 Swedes served in the UN led operation UNPROFOR in Bosnia, which later became the NATO led with the name IFOR / SFOR (the operation is now led by the EU).
UNAMA’s mandate includes supporting national reconciliation and the tasks under the Bonn Agreement in cooperation with the Afghan government and other international players.
Mission EUMM was established in September 1991 covering Bosnia, Serbia (including Kosovo), Montenegro, Albania and FYROM.
EUFOR is charged with supporting the development of a stable, vigorous, peaceful and multiethnic Bosnia-Herzegovina. The first step is to take over responsibility from Sfor and continue to monitor compliance with the Dayton agreement and to support civilian efforts to reconstruct the community.
On 25 September 2007 the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1778 approving support for the multi-dimensional UN presence in the Central African Republic and Chad. This was to improve the security for the 400,000 or so refugees and displaced persons in the area and to improve the working possibilities for the humanitarian organisations operating there.
On 15 March 2009 MINURCAT assumed operational responsibility in Chad and the Central African Responsibility from Eufor, with a mandate that runs to 15 March 2010. Minurcat acts in accordance with UN Charter chapter 7 on acts of aggression.
The Mission was established in June 2000 and covers the geographic area of Ethiopia and Eritrea. The headquarters are situated in Asmara and Addis Ababa.
The OSCE Mission to Georgia was established in December 1992 in response to armed conflicts in the country. The Mission assists the Government of Georgia in the fields of conflict settlement, democratization, human rights and the rule of law.
UNOMIG observes and reports on the implementation of ceasefire agreement between Abkhazien and Georgia and on the way the peacekeeping force performs its tasks.
Sweden is contributing with flight operations to Libya in order to maintain the no-fly zone in accordance with the decision taken by the UN Security Council.
The United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) is a special political mission in support of the peace process in Nepal. It was established by Security Council Resolution 1740 on 23 January 2007 and was mandated to stay in Nepal till 23 January 2009.
Since May 2009 Sweden has sent five naval units to Operation Atalanta, the EU marine intervention in the Gulf of Aden, off the Somali coast. The EU force protects ships against piracy attacks and carries out emergency transport services in the region. The fifth Swedish unit started operations in August 2017.
UNAMID, the United Nations – African Union Mission in Darfur, was established on 1 January 2008 and replaces the earlier African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS/AU). The force operates in the province of Darfur in western Sudan.
The UN Mission in Sudan, UNMIS, was established 25 March 2005 and covers southern Sudan. The Mission’s strength is being built up and could ultimately reach 10,000 military and civilian personnel.
The European Union Training Mission Somalia (EUTM) was launched on 7 April 2010. The purpose of the initiative was to contribute to the stabilisation of the situation in Somalia in accordance with the Djibouti agreement from 2008. The EU made a decision regarding the training programme for the Somalian government’s security forces in January 2010.